China has stripped five generals with the rank of general (shangjiang), one lieutenant general, and three major generals of their qualifications as representatives to the National People's Congress of China, ahead of the Two Sessions (the National People's Congress of China and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) on the 4th of next month, local media reported.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and Ming Pao on the 27th, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China held its 21st meeting the previous day to hear reports on the qualifications of individual National People's Congress of China representatives and to deliberate appointment and dismissal motions concerning related personnel.
At the meeting, the qualifications as National People's Congress of China representatives were revoked for five generals: Li Wei, political commissar of the Information Support Force under the People's Liberation Army; Li Zhaoming, army commander; Shen Jinlong, navy commander; Qin Shengxiang, navy political commissar; and Yu Zhongfu, air force political commissar. It was also decided at the meeting to strip the qualifications of Lieutenant General Wang Donghai, political commissar of the Central Military Commission's National Defense Mobilization Department, and Major Generals Bian Ruifeng of the Central Military Commission, Ding Laifu of the Army, and Yang Guang of the Rocket Force.
This follows the purge of Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Central Military Commission member Liu Zhenli (chief of the Joint Staff Department). It is presumed that the meeting also reviewed the National People's Congress of China representative qualifications of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, but the relevant details were not disclosed.
State-run Xinhua News Agency said the nine were stripped of their representative qualifications in accordance with laws defining the rights, duties, and responsibilities of representatives to the National People's Congress of China and local people's congresses. The SCMP said it was "related to investigations by disciplinary authorities or changes in status," adding that "as a result, the total number of National People's Congress of China representatives from the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police has decreased to 243." It added, "The move follows announcements of investigations into figures such as Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, and shows ongoing anti-corruption and discipline-strengthening efforts within the People's Liberation Army."